DNA Paternity Testing Myths
Posted on | October 5, 2011 | No Comments
DNA Paternity Testing Myths
Here are some of the most common myths which are commonly associated with paternity tests. It is best to set things straight and clarify these common misconceptions.
DNA Testing is costly
There is no need to spend a fortune on a paternity test. In many euro zone you can get the test for around 250€ and in the US you can purchase a DNA paternity test for less than 200$. So it is not so much about cost, but about the quality of your test. Make sure the labs doing the test are accredited. You can find many companies offering accredited tests for the above figures cited.
A little note on the cost of a paternity test: the cost of a peace of mind paternity test is much less than the price of a paternity test for legal purposes.
The paternity test is bound to be painful
Gone are the days when a blood withdrawal was needed to get a blood DNA sample for a paternity test. Nowadays, taking a sample for a paternity test can be done with a simple buccal mouth swab; rub the swab inside the mouth and voila you have you DNA sample.
The alleged father has passed away or is not available for the test
In this case, it does not mean that paternity cannot be established. There are so many options that can be taken. If the father is dead, you can get DNA samples from the body- this depends on whether he has been buried or not. Whichever the case, buried or not, DNA samples can still be taken. If this is not an option, perhaps testing relatives can be done, an aunt or an uncle or grandparents. Even better, you can do a sibling DNA test to determine whether 2 siblings have a father in common.
A simple call to a DNA testing company and you can have all your thoughts settled easily and can go ahead with your DNA paternity test.
How much does a DNA paternity test cost?
Posted on | August 16, 2011 | No Comments
How much does a paternity test cost?
There is no single figure or number that can be given to answer the question: how much does a paternity test cost? Prices tend to vary somewhat, from company to company and you need to have a bit of a shop around till you find one of the better companies to do your DNA paternity test or whichever type of DNA test you may need.
Do you need a home paternity test or a legal paternity test?
The cost of a home paternity test is much lower than that of a legal paternity test. A home paternity test is basically done for your peace of mind- because you are responsible for the simple task of taking your own samples, the price of a home paternity test is lower. Essentially what you should note is that in terms of laboratory testing, the analysis of the DNA follows exactly the same procedure. In terms of sample collection, you will receive the home DNA kit; in it you find oral swabs and all you do is rub these inside the mouth to have your DNA sample.
Delivery options
The delivery option chosen may affect the cost of the paternity DNA test
a) Do you want standard delivery or express? You can have our home DNA test kit delivered by first class mail or by Express mail if you urgently need the test carried out.
b) Standard testing results service is 5 – 7 working days, but you can have the Express turnaround within 2 days if you also need the DNA test results quickly.
c) The email results are free, but you pay extra for a postal result (to cover post and packing) if you need a written report.
The DNA sample used
Standard samples are obtained from the swabs sent in our home DNA test kit. These involve taking a sample of saliva and cells from the inside of the cheeks, under the tongue and inside the lips. If you have to use other samples, such as hair, nail clippings or bone scrapings, then the price of the DNA test increases. There is no set price differential since the price depends very much on the condition of the sample and the number of extractions needed to get a good sample of DNA.
As we have seen, in a few words, answering the question how much does a paternity test cost? depends on a number of factors.
Tags: cost of a paternity test > cost of legal paternity test > DNA testing > how much does a paternity test cost > legal paternity test > paternity test germany
Prenatal Paternity Test
Posted on | August 10, 2011 | No Comments
Prenatal Paternity Test
It would seem a good idea to some people to solve paternity issues before a child is born and save having to live for months in doubt and emotional turmoil. A prenatal paternity test is an option but doing any test before the child is born needs some further thought as there are certain implications that could be moral/ ethical as well as medical.
Pre-natal DNA testing: Testing for Paternity before the Birth of the Child
It is of course possible to do a DNA test before the child is actually born. There are two types of pre-natal tests and both are used depending on the period of pregnancy and technique favored by the clinic or hospital.
The first type of test, amniocentesis, is carried out anywhere between the 14th and 20th week of pregnancy. The procedure is invasive and involves inserting a needle through the abdomen into the womb. The doctor will draw amniotic fluid from the amniotic sac which surrounds the baby which will contain the necessary DNA to carry out the paternity test. The procedure is carried out under local anesthetic and an ultra sound is used to guide the needle into the correct place.
Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) is another means to carry out a DNA test on an unborn child. A doctor would in such a case enter the womb through the vaginal cervix to obtain samples of the finger-like protrusions on the uterine wall known as chorionic villi. These villi are a result of the fertilization of the egg and contain the same genetic makeup as that of the child. This test is carried out a bit earlier to amniocentesis and is normally anywhere between the 10th- 13th week.
Ethical and Medical Issues to Consider for your baby DNA test
Ethical issues centre on whether having the pre-natal test done may lead to terminating the pregnancy if the results are not the desired ones. Pre-natal genetic testing is like opening a Pandora’s Box. Besides establishing paternity, CVS and amniocentesis can be used to check whether the child suffers from certain genetic conditions such as Down’s syndrome. Again, such a test may instigate one to abort the child if they know the child will suffer from any genetic conditions or be handicapped.
Medical issues centre on the very small chance of harming the unborn child or causing stress on the child which may lead to a miscarriage. The paternity testing before birth procedure is invasive and this is an important issue to consider.
A DNA test should ideally be done after the child is born. This involves no risks or ethical issues. Some DNA testing companies do not offer prenatal paternity test for the above reasons. The test is also more expensive as it requires a medical specialist.
Tags: paternity DNA testing > paternity testing before birth > post natal DNA test > prenatal DNA test > prenatal paternity test
DNA Paternity Test result: Some issues
Posted on | August 10, 2011 | No Comments
DNA Paternity Test result: Some issues
Your paternity test result is what will determine your choices and for some, the result may be one of the most life-changing experiences.
Your result will show with a probability in excess of 99.99% that the alleged father is the biological father. This probability can vary slightly depending on whether the mother’s samples are included. The mother’s sample help provide a more accurate result. Even without the mother’s sample, a paternity DNA test will still show an inclusion of paternity of no less than 99.9%. If the alleged father is not the biological dad, he will be included with a 0% probability.
What problems might I encounter with my paternity test result?
Let’s begin by specifying that and complications and problems are very seldom- you can thus, breathe a sigh of relief and rest assured that chances are that all will go very smoothly an in a timely manner. Also rest assured, that with a paternity test, there is no problem that can’t be fixed.
Here are some of the problems
The DNA sample fails: this is extremely rare. With saliva sample, sometimes a mouth swab may not provide enough DNA for laboratory analysis. Normally, most DNA testing companies provide 2 swabs per person; just in case one swab fails, they can begin testing the other- this however will require more time.
With DNA sample other than saliva sample, you are advised prior to the testing on the rate of success of that sample. If you use a low success rate sample like an envelope or a glass with a lip mark, you should not be too surprised if the sample fails. If it does, fail, you will need to send in another sample. If you have used a high success rate sample, labs should have no problems extracting DNA although there is always a small chance of failure.
Related fathers: This is an issue with paternity test results; in fact if you suspect the alleged fathers may be related, all the more if they are brothers, you must inform the lab so that they can proceed and advise you accordingly. If fathers are related their DNA profiles will be extremely similar and this can be a problem. To provide conclusive results you can either submit sample of both fathers or include the mother’s DNA sample.
Paternity testing is highly accurate and reliable. You will rarely encounter problems with your paternity test results and they should be of no concern until they arise.
Tags: DNA paternity test result > DNA sample failure > paternity testing > probability of paternity
DNA Paternity Test Kit
Posted on | August 10, 2011 | No Comments
DNA Paternity Test Kit
Your DNA paternity test kit is an integral part of your DNA testing experience. Most companies doing DNA tests in fact provide kits which are a great way of making the DNA testing easier and more efficient.
homeDNAdirect have capitalized on their experience within the field of DNA testing and created very user friendly paternity test kit which contain the following:
- 2 buccal swabs for every person participating in the test are included in the DNA test kit.
- Consent forms which need to be filled in; consent forms requires some basic information on everyone taking part in the test as well as signatures to give consent for their DNA samples to be used for DNA testing.
- A simple instruction booklet guiding you through the steps to take to collect your DNA samples correctly.
Collecting samples is extremely simple and basically involves rubbing the mouth swab inside the mouth for around 20 seconds or so and then leaving these swabs to dry before placing back into their envelopes and sending them off for laboratory analysis. Paternal DNA testing is extremely accurate and results will be at you in a very short time depending on the company chosen to do your test.
There are of course a few basic precautions which are again provided in the paternity test kit instructions which you also need to follow such as not eating or smoking before the test. Mouth swabs are however, so easy to use and are moreover great because they are painless- children and babies will feel absolutely nothing. This is very different to for example, trying to get a blood draw from a child as most children are petrified of needles.
The DNA paternity test kit can easily be delivered to anywhere in the France or Belgium. The kits are usually prepared for alleged father, one child and the mother. The mother’s DNA samples are not indispensable to the test but can really help provide stronger or more accurate results. Generally, one can say that the mothers DNA samples are not necessary for the test and most tests are in fact carried out between just alleged father and child.
Once you send in the paternity test kit, you will of course not be getting the swabs back. It is always recommended that you use both swabs provided in the DNA kit. Sometimes, it can happened that the first swab tested may not provide sufficient DNA and thus, it is better for labs to have another swab they can easily use rather than have to contact the client to re-send another swab.
The DNA paternity test kit is great because it allows you to collect samples in the comfort of your home and swabbing can also been done for different people at different times (although there may be a time limit when your case expires).
Tags: DNA paternity test kit > DNA test kit > DNA testing > homeDNAdirect UK > paternal DNA testing > paternity test
DNA Paternity Testing Myths
Posted on | August 10, 2011 | No Comments
DNA Paternity Testing Myths
Here are some of the most common myths which are commonly associated with paternity tests. It is best to set things straight and clarify these common misconceptions.
DNA Testing is costly
There is no need to spend a fortune on a paternity test. In India for example, a paternity test can be bought for INS 10,950. So it is not so much about cost, but about the quality of your test. Make sure the labs doing the test are accredited. You can find many companies offering accredited tests for the above figures cited.
A little note on the cost of a paternity test: the cost of a peace of mind paternity test is much less than the price of a paternity test for legal purposes.
The paternity test is bound to be painful
Gone are the days when a blood withdrawal was needed to get a blood DNA sample for a paternity test. Nowadays, taking a sample for a paternity test can be done with a simple buccal mouth swab; rub the swab inside the mouth and voila you have you DNA sample.
The alleged father has passed away or is not available for the test
In this case, it does not mean that paternity cannot be established. There are so many options that can be taken. If the father is dead, you can get DNA samples from the body- this depends on whether he has been buried or not. Whichever the case, buried or not, DNA samples can still be taken. If this is not an option, perhaps testing relatives can be done, an aunt or an uncle or grandparents. Even better, you can do a sibling DNA test to determine whether 2 siblings have a father in common.
A simple call to a DNA testing company and you can have all your thoughts settled easily and can go ahead with your DNA paternity test.
Tags: blood DNA sample > cost of a paternity test > DNA sample > DNA testing > paternity test > paternity testing

